Busines Journal: Sac Economy WAS Good...Until Recently

Sacramento HAD one of the best economies in the nation — until two years ago.

Analyst firm Policom Corp. says the four-county region had the fifth-strongest economy from 1988 to 2008, with fast-paced job growth and thriving companies.

But, as we know all too well, the Sacramento region’s economy has been one of the hardest hit with the recession, with a modern-day record jobless rate — and more than 130,000 people looking for work. Plus, the cash-strapped state — easily the region’s largest employer — enacted three-day-per-month furloughs last summer and layoffs are possible in order to deal with next year’s pending $20 billion budget deficit.

Seattle, Washington, D.C, Denver and Houston had the strongest economies, followed by Sacramento, at least through 2008.